Friday, August 05, 2005

PowerCrank Bike

And the new bike is... a Trek 1000. Yes... the lowest end Trek road bike.

Why did I get this? Well, it is to use training gear I have: PowerCranks. These are a pair of independent cranks - you have to lift the pedal up and not merely let the opposite crank push it up. Sound easy? They aren't, when I first got them two years ago it was difficult for me to do two minutes on the trainer.

The training theory is that they force you to pedal circles. If you believe pedaling circles, independent leg drills, increased hip flexor strength, and improved pedal timing are all important, then you will find powercranks beneficial as they absolutely force all of the above on you 100% of the time you use them.

I didn't use them last season, because my volume would have suffered and I couldn't have that while building up for long rides. Besides, it was always a hassle to swap the cranks, because it involved changing bottom brackets and adjusting the gears. I decided to get a cheap bike and make it the permanent powercrank bike.

Trek 1000

I rode to work, which due to the pedestrian bridge, is a mere 1.5 miles from home. I felt good and added a little extra mileage, so the total ride was 4.5 miles in 28 minutes. Not exactly hammering - I took it easy since I hadn't been on these cranks in well over a year. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my biking base has paid off - it wasn't too much trouble at all. Granted, I wasn't out long. When I got off at home, I could feel that my hip flexors were a little tight, but I was expecting to feel even worse.